Tuesday, 27 December 2016

Following up the bonus from the previous post with a CD by Soungalo Coulibaly seems a very good idea at the end of this very first year for Mangue Music. Soungalo is a djembe player, and music from djembe players is usuable mostly appreciated by drummers and percussionists. Fortunately for all of us on his first international album he and his band played really good songs, so likeable for all open-minded music lovers!!

from the booklet: Soungalo Coulibaly was 1955 born in Beleko in southern Mali. He started to play percussion at the early age of eight, and it can be said that he is self-taught because, against the wishes of his father, who was the village headman, and without any formal training, he managed to learn everything he happened to hear: the traditions of his region, then of the other regions of Mali, and then he left this country, those of the Ivory Coast and Guinea.
His humble and friendly exterior conceals an exceptional master of percussion. His most personal phrasing, his perfect dexterity, his forceful and precise strike make Soungalo Coulibalyone of the most brilliant djembe players of our time. In Europe, where he has toured for the last few years, he was first known and appreciated as a percussionist. But he is also unequalled as composer and conductor. Among the great virtuosi of percussion, there is no-one else who has such talent for orchestration. Since 1979 he has been living in Bouake (a melting pot of living traditions), and there he formed his group which at the moment includes about fifteen musicians (percussionists, guitarists, balafon players) who invent and perform their new music which has its roots in the culture of the legendary Mali and in the traditions of the various different ethnic groups of West-Africa.

Saturday, 24 December 2016

Here for you all a Christmas Present from the far far far away but ever so close Land of Mangos.

Oumou Sangare 1995 at a Festival in Sweden (image from youtube)

Received the original audio from 'doyadig', a very kind follower of this blog, and with the help of NGONI could identify (almost) all the songs. MANY THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU!!!!!!

Wanted to post this already months ago, but didn't find the time to do so. Later on decided to keep till just before Christmas, so during whatever you're doing the coming days you have the chance to do it when listening to a fabulous live recording from Oumou Sangare and Her Great Band!!!!

Friday, 23 December 2016

BIOGRAPHY

(till time of this session in 1992)

Khaled Hadj Brahim, better known to music fans as the Algerian Rai star Khaled, was born in Sidi El Houari, a suburb of Oran, on 1960 February 29.
At the age of 7 Khaled vowed that he would one day follow in the footsteps of his musical idols, Elvis Presley and Johnny Hallyday, and launch his own singing career. He formed his first group, "Les Cinq Etoiles", when he was 14 years old and began performing at circumcision feasts and wedding parties as well as on the local cabaret scene. Shortly afterwards Khaled was expelled from school and found himself free to devote all his time and energy to his singing career. In 1974 he recorded his first single "Trig El Lici" on a simple two-track tape recorder, the song became a massive hit on Algerian radio stations, but Khaled would not earn a penny in royalties from it.
Continuing to perform on Oran's thriving cabaret scene, Khaled wasted no time in modernising the traditional Rai sound. In 1976 the singer would replace the violinists in his backing group with a couple of electric guitar players. By the age of 17 Cheb Khaled had become a national star with five (poorly recorded) K7 albums to his name.
In 1982 Khaled would take his radical modernisation one step further, adding synthesizers and drum machines, meanwhile Khaled's lyrics remained as controversial as ever. The rising young star was soon adopted as a spokesperson for a whole generation of frustrated Algerian teenagers and his fan base would soon extend to the Algerian bourgeoisie (known locally as the "Tchi tchi").
In 1986 he was invited to France to appear at the prestigious Rai Festival held in Bobigny (in the Paris suburbs) in 1986. Performing on stage alongside the creme de la creme of the Rai movement, Khaled brought the house down with his deep, baleful vocals and his imposing stage persona. Following his success at Bobigny, Khaled released his first 7" in France, "Hada Raïkoum" (It's Your Law) was adapted from an original K7 recording.
In 1988 Khaled recorded his "Kutché" album in France, working with the renowned French 'world music' producer Martin Meissonnier, and the respected Algerian musician Safy Boutella. The album was only moderately successful, Rai connoisseurs considered that Khaled's radically modern approach 'denatured' the traditional genre.
Back at home in Algeria, things were proving increasingly difficult for Khaled. Renowned as an exuberant bon vivant and defender of the controversial Rai movement, Khaled was under threat from the rising tide of fundamentalism sweeping through Algeria in the late 80's and he would eventually leave Algeria to settle in France.
In 1992 the release his next album transformed Cheb Khaled into a veritable international star, he was dubbed the official 'King of Rai'. The album simply called "Khaled" - recorded partly in Brussels with the aid of producer Michael Brook, partly in Los Angeles with the legendary Don Was - would generate a whole string of hits for the Rai star including the best-selling "Didi". This single would not only rocket to the top of the French Top 50 (the first song recorded in Arabic to chart in France!), but "Didi" would also soar to the top of the hit-parades all over the world. "Didi" even became a surprise hit in India, where it was translated in Hindi.

tracklist: 1.Didi / 2.Wahrane / 3.Mauvais Sang / 4.Braya (two times!)source: rec.1992.Sep.15 - bc.1992.Oct.24 Andy Kershaw BBC Radio 1update: On tape is 2-times track 4.Braya, though announcement before the first is for 'Mauvais Sang', this could either mean a tape mix-up or really played like it is on the tape. I've update the download using all info and recordings I have, and will go after the missing track (will update here when receive any further info and/or music)

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Just over two months ago, we lost (again) a great Malian musician: Issa Bagayogo. It can be stated that he had lived an interesting life with varying experiences, to say the least. Happily we can keep remembering him by listening to his music, and present you here a (short) live recording to do so.

Bio from 2002 Festival in Spain

Korin Bagayogo Issa was born in 1961 a few miles from Bogouni, birthplace of one of the great stars of Mali, Nahawa Doumbia. Like many young artists, he started playing very young, first daro, called the work of field workers and then with the very small guitar young guitarist known as kamele Malian ngoni, as he began singing. It was thirty years old when he decided to leave the capital, Bamako. It was there that Philippe Berthier proposed record though economically the result was not too good to Bagayogo, who returned to his village with some cassette tapes with his picture, but no money. Although in 1993 attempted to try his luck with a new recording in the same format, very common in the market drives from West Africa, to support his family was away for a while from his sleep. Abandoned by his wife, returned to Bamako again, willing to change their fate. And were Moussa Koné, former guitarist of Ali Farka Touré's band and sound engineer Yves Wernert, who gave a twist to his career by proposing a production in which, despite his initial reticence, tradition opened to more electronic sounds. 'Sya' (1998) was a success that has also marked his new album 'Timbuktu' (2002), where 'Techno Issa', as he is now known, has included the sound of the ngoni, but also the female voices, and other synthesized perscusiones own textures and dub electronic music.

Sunday, 11 December 2016

As promised, back on track, only the track leading this time to a not really Mango Tree friendly place, but the music is great and that's what counts first of all.

SöNDöRGő in New York 2014.Sep.25

Söndörgő was founded in 1995 in Szentendre a small Hungarian town near Budapest, with long-established Serbian tradition. The Eredics brothers got acquainted, and started to play music together with (bass player) Attila Buzás during their high-school years. Partly because of family reasons (Kálmán Eredics, the father of the Eredics brothers, was a founder member of the Vujicsics ensemble), all the group members are profoundly touched by, and drawn towards Southern Slav folk music. Söndörgő’s mission is to research it, arrange it and perform it on stage. The current members of the group are: Áron Eredics, Benjamin Eredics, Dávid Eredics, Salamon Eredics and Attila Buzás.
In contrast to most groups playing Balkan music, Söndörgő isn’t playing brass band music, it is a tamburitza band. The tambura is a small and agile plucked instrument similar to the mandolin which is occasionally supplemented by wind instruments and accordion. Söndörgő’s traditional repertoire is made up of material gathered by Béla Bartók and Tihamér Vujicsics as well as learned from old masters of the tradition.

Have seen them live a few months before this session recording, around the time of the World Cup footbal in 2014.Jun/Jul, when they were on tour promoting their 'TambuRocket' album.
Had never heard of them before, and well really liked them. On their facebook page I just saw that they finished their latest international tour (they even played in Jodhpur, India) and are back in their homeland, so unfortunately missed them this time around.

Discography

2010: VA - A Népzenétől A Világzenéig (CD, FolkEuropa) incl.song by Söndörgő
2011: Tamburising - Lost Music Of The Balkans (CD, World Village)
2014: Tamburocket (CD, Riverboat) - at worldmusic.net
2016: Live Wire (CD, Riverboat) - live album at worldmusic.net

About Me

This blog is made out of love for the music here presented in softcopy, if you like something, best support the music and artists by trying to buy a hardcopy yourself and visiting their concerts.

On this blog will be presented: original K7s with music from all over the world, radio broadcasts of live concerts (from K7 recordings and/or radio streams), all sorts of other musical items.Note: selections based on personal manguetic taste.

MY WISH LIST:music I know exist, never have heard, but love to have listened to at least once*Doura Barry - Laureat de Guinea (K7)*Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - early K7s*1980s live recs Super Biton*1980s/90s live recs Bembeya Jazz*1990s live recs Oumou Sangare*1980-85 live recs King Sunny Ade*1979-86 live recs Amazones de Guinee*recs Andy Kershaw BBC Sessions*recs BBC World Music Awards*Tinariwen - early K7s (1992/93)(will be continuous updated)